Author's Note: Short ficlet set in the spring before Dust On Every Page and prompted by an answer I gave on Tumblr about a fabedroom activity that Quinn might request on her birthday:

"... or the time Quinn challenged Rachel to serenade her with a pre-planned playlist while she teased her to distraction. Rachel never even made it through the first song."

Acceptance Is the Key

Acceptance is the key to be,
To be truly free.
~Unconditionally, Katy Perry

Rachel's eyes dance over the list that Quinn had given her. "This is what you want for your birthday?" she asks with an amused smile. They'd already had a lovely dinner at a restaurant of Quinn's choosing—Rachel's cooking skills haven't improved quite enough to risk burning dinner on Quinn's birthday—and now it's time for dessert.

Quinn's grin is decidedly more wicked when she nods and hums her assent. "Think you can manage it?" she challenges.

Rachel rolls her eyes. "Child's play," she declares haughtily, briefly glancing over the list one more time before she tosses it aside. Every song written on the paper in Quinn's elegant handwriting is well within Rachel's wheelhouse. She can sing them in her sleep. Serenading Quinn as foreplay to birthday sex is the easiest gift she's ever been asked to give.

Quinn's eyes are sparkling when Rachel lightly trails the backs of her fingers over her cheek and leans forward to brush her lips over Quinn's smiling mouth. Quinn curls her hand over the nape of Rachel's neck and deepens the kiss, catching Rachel's lower lip between her teeth and nipping at it before she chases the sting away with her tongue. Rachel practically purrs in approval, happily falling into the kiss as the familiar ripples of desire stir in her blood, but all too soon, Quinn pulls back with a sexy grin firmly in place.

"I don't hear any singing," she teases.

A laughing huff slips past Rachel's lips. "My mouth was otherwise occupied."

"Excuses, excuses," Quinn trills, taking a single step back and hooking one finger into the vee of Rachel's blouse where the top button is fastened to preserve her modesty. "I wanna hear you sing for me," she husks, giving a gentle tug to the button, "and only me."

Rachel suppresses the moan that builds in her chest at Quinn's words, instead clearing her throat to battle the sudden dryness there. Quinn's lips twitch into a knowing smirk as her fingers continue to play with that button.

Quinn had started her list with a little Katy Perry—she's always been one of Rachel's go-to artists—so Rachel takes a breath and begins her birthday serenade. She doesn't need any inspiration beyond her gorgeous girlfriend to infuse every word with the love she feels for Quinn.

"Oh no, did I get too close oh?
Oh, did I almost see what's really on the inside?"

Rachel's eye widen slightly when Quinn undoes that button, but she doesn't miss a beat.

"All your insecurities."

Another button comes undone, and Quinn's fingers slip inside her blouse to trace little heart shapes over Rachel's skin. All the while, Quinn's gaze remains intense on hers.

"All the dirty laundry
Never made me blink one time."

Quinn's eyelids flutter, and she sighs happily as she moves closer to Rachel, setting her free hand on Rachel's waist.

"Unconditional, unconditionally.
I will love you unconditionally."

Quinn's lips graze Rachel's cheek, and those fingers playing at her chest move down to open another button. Rachel's indrawn breath is possibly just a little more audible than she intends it to be, but she'll be damned if she lets Quinn distract her from her performance.

"There is no fear now.
Let go and just be free.
I will love you unconditionally."

Quinn moves then, stepping around Rachel while her hand continues to work open every button. Her other hand brushes Rachel's hair off one shoulder before slipping down to rest on Rachel's belly; fingertips sneaking under the waistband of her slacks.

Rachel's own hands reach back to clutch at Quinn's thighs.

"Come just as you are to me.
Don't need apologies.

With her buttons completely undone, Quinn shifts behind her, trailing her fingers back up over Rachel's skin and pausing to circle her lace covered breasts.

"Know that you are unworthy."

Quinn's touch disappears from her breast as she shifts again—Rachel can feel her body pressed fully against the left side of her back—and the fingers of her left hand that have been teasing at her belly find the button of her slacks. Quinn pulls the material of Rachel's blouse away from her shoulder with her right hand and replaces it with her heated mouth, making Rachel shiver and stutter the next line of the song out of sync.

"I..I''ll...take your bad days with your good.
Walk through this storm I would."

The button of her slacks is suddenly undone, and Quinn's fingers plunge lower.

"I'd do it all because I love you."

Quinn's mouth is hot against Rachel's neck, and her right hand returns to cup the side of Rachel's breast through her bra.

"God, I love you," Rachel groans instead of singing. She can feel the press of Quinn's smile at her pulse point, and she takes another breath, stubbornly pushing out the chorus instead of rocking her hips into Quinn's hand the way she desperately wants.

"Unconditional, unconditionally.
I will love you unconditionally."

Rachel drags in a shaky breath as Quinn's fingers skillfully tease the sensitive flesh between her legs.

"There is...no fear now."

Another breath.

A fingernail dragging over her nipple.

A tongue tracing her earlobe.

"L-let go...oh," those damned fingers, "just be free."

Rachel presses her own hands over Quinn's where they're wreaking havoc on her body. She's hopelessly lost the tempo of the song, but the cadence of Quinn's touch is so much stronger.

"I will love you…oh, Quinn...un...uncondition...ah...ly."

"I don't remember my name in this song," Quinn whispers hotly against her ear.

"You're cheating," Rachel accuses breathlessly, unable to keep her hips from rocking in time with Quinn's insistent rhythm.

"No," Quinn counters sweetly. "I'm enjoying my birthday present. Now keep singing." She presses a gentle kiss to Rachel's cheek. "Please."

Rachel can barely catch her breath, but she nods as she leans into Quinn's body, realizing that she's Quinn's birthday present and Quinn already has her unwrapped.

"So open up your heart and just let it begin," Rachel manages to chant (more-or-less) melodically.
"Open up your heart and just let it begin."

The pace of Quinn's fingers increases, rubbing relentless circles against Rachel's clit, while her mouth plays against Rachel's neck and shoulder, undoubtedly leaving marks on her skin. Rachel's makeup artist is going to be pissed.

"Oh...open up your heart and just let it begin.
Ooh...pen up your heart."

Rachel can feel her body racing closer to its release. Quinn knows exactly how and where to touch her, and it's embarrassingly obvious to Rachel now that Quinn never intended to let her get past the first song on that list. She's surprisingly okay with this.

"Acceptance is the key to...to be...
To be truly free…"

Rachel barely manages to pant, "Will you...do...ooo...the same for...m...me?"

"Yes," Quinn answers, moving her fingers in just the right way.

"Unnngh!"

The rest of the song is lost in a very different kind of melody as Rachel comes undone. Quinn shifts behind her, a strong arm holding her upright, taking most of her weight against her own body as Rachel's knees buckle. Those talented fingers help her ride out her orgasm before finally stilling and reluctantly slipping out from between Rachel's legs.

Quinn holds Rachel close while she catches her breath and the strength begins to return to her legs. "That was beautiful," Quinn murmurs appreciatively. "Thank you."

Rachel chuckles softly. "I didn't even finish."

Quinn laughs outright, hugging Rachel from behind. "You finished spectacularly, sweetheart. I think it's just become my favorite performance ever."

Rachel reaches down to weakly slap Quinn's thigh before managing to turn in her arms enough to kiss her lovingly. "Give me five minutes, and I promise I'll top it."

Quinn's smile is radiant.

"Happy birthday to me."